12. PLEASE
PLEASE
KARSON
As I walked up the moonlit street, a car approached from the opposite direction and stopped in front of Ivy’s house. The back doors opened, and two women got out.
It’s her! My heart missed a beat.
After a brief conversation, they hugged. Then Ivy turned briefly in my direction before walking toward the beach. Willing myself to believe everything would work out, I followed.
When I stepped onto the sand, I spotted her sitting cross-legged, her shoes strewn beside her. Moonlight flooded the beach, lighting up her hair as it blew softly in the wind.
In one smooth movement, she pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them as she stared out over the crashing waves.
“Ivy,” I said huskily, “it’s me.”
She swung around, her eyes wide, gaping at me in horror for what felt like an eternity as I stood there on the beach.
“What are you doing here?” She rose to her feet. A deep furrow creased her brow. “Just leave. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”
She stared at the sand unable to stand the sight of me.
It stung.
“Ivy, please… it’s not what it looks like,” I told her desperately. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat.
She pivoted sharply and started toward the track.
“Please, I can explain!” I called out. “Can we just talk? After that, if you never want to see me again, I swear you won’t,” I promised, not knowing if I could keep that promise.
She stopped. Silent. Her back to me.
The sound of the crashing waves and the wind filled the void. “There are things you don’t know, Ivy. Things aren’t what they seem.”
With bitterness, she chuckled, then started for the track again.
“Ivy, please, I’m begging you, I don’t have long. This is the only chance I have to explain,” I said raggedly, my chest tightening as adrenaline pumped through my veins.
She turned. Hands on hips. Glaring at me.
“You deserve to know the truth, Ivy.”
“Two minutes.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You’ve got two minutes, and you had better not lie to me again.” Her voice quivered, but her feet were rooted to the spot, holding her ground.
“I won’t lie.” I held my hand against my heart and drew in a long breath in readiness. “You’ll get the whole truth.”
“I thought we had something special. Did it mean anything to you?” She raised her voice. “Anything at all? Or was it all lies? Was I just your toy until you got back to Bella?”
My heart felt like it ripped apart, scattering in the wind that whipped around us.
This is what she thinks of me, thanks to my father and his sick games.
“Yes, that’s right,” she told me, her tone controlled. “I saw all the photos of you and her together. The prince and princess. Isn’t that what they call you? How sweet. I guess you just forgot to mention her. Right?”
“Ivy, believe me, those stupid pictures are not what they seemed. It’s all twisted around, I swear.” I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to figure out where to start.
“Sure. It’s just one big misunderstanding, huh? Is that it?” She glared at me in contempt. “Poor Karson, so misunderstood.”
“I fully understand that you hate me, but I need to start from the beginning, or this won’t make any sense.” I sat down cross-legged, hoping she’d follow.
With a skeptical look at me, she took a step away but sat. “Ninety seconds left,” she said impatiently.
“The time we spent together was the happiest time of my life. And I had no idea my father would summon me like that.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I told him I was going to college in Brisbane to be near you, but he forbade it. He made unspeakable threats.”
“What threats? Did he say he’d take away your fancy car?” she said in a saccharine tone. “Or that you couldn’t have your skiing holidays in Switzerland?” Her voice cut through me like a blade. “Is that it?”
“Yes, he took all that away. But I couldn’t care less about those things. He called in his attack dogs and had them revoke my offer to study in Brisbane. So I told him I wouldn’t bother with uni.”
We sat looking out over the breaking waves in silence. For a moment, it was like it had all been a nightmare. Like I’d never left her side.
“It’s not enough,” she snapped. “You could have left anytime.”
“Ivy, that’s only part of the story. He froze my bank accounts and took away everything. But even if I were completely broke, I’d still choose you.”
“Then why didn’t you? That’s all I wanted. You know it’s not about the money for me. We could’ve worked it out. Together. Everything would have fallen into place.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she drew in a long breath.
“But that message you left me, and the photos of you with your nepo-baby girlfriend. Well, you made it clear what matters to you.”
“She’s not my girlfriend. I don’t know how to say this, other than… my father’s a fucking monster who will do whatever it takes to get exactly what he wants.”
Karlos’s threats flooded my mind…
“You wouldn’t want anything to happen to the nobody, or her father, would you?”
I drove my fist into the sand.
“It’d be such a tragedy to see anything happen to him. I’m sure she’d would do anything to keep him safe.”
I drew a deep breath and met her questioning gaze. “He threatened to hurt you, Ivy.”
Even in the dim moonlight, I saw the blood drain from her face. My mouth turned to ash. “I’m sorry. This is a lot.”
“Is there more?” she asked hesitantly.
“He told me if I saw you again… he’d hurt you. And your dad too,” I said quietly, a hot rush of shame burning through me.
“What do you mean?” She sprang to her feet. “How does he know anything about my dad?” Her voice shook as she crossed her hands over her chest.
“He has people for everything.” I stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. “They investigated your family. He knows all about your life. That’s how he controls people. I’m so sorry for dragging you into this mess. I didn’t know he’d be so poisonous to you.” I finished miserably.
She paced up and down across the sand, her eyes glistening as she wrung her hands, then buried her face in them.
I wanted to tell her it would be all right, that, somehow, I’d figure it out.
But first, she needed to know everything.